Side Quest: A Visual History of Roleplaying Games

by Samuel Sattin

For fans of dungeon crawls and dice rolls--and anyone wanting to know more about them-- Side Quest is a stand-alone graphic novel history of roleplaying games (RPGs), from ancient games to those played today, with personal stories from creators throughout! With a meld of history, fantasy, and memoir, Side Quest: A Visual History of Roleplaying Games gives existing fans of tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) insight into the history of the medium--and provides a gateway for anyone new to the phenomenon. The creators, Steenz and Samuel Sattin, narrate the book, switching between personal stories about their RPG experiences and concrete information that reveals the fascinating and often little-known history of these games. (Did you know that H. G. Wells created an RPG in the early 1900s? You will soon, along with so much more!) This is an inviting introduction to what TTRPGs are, why they matter, and how readers can get involved. And like any popular guide to arcana, this book is geared toward an audience of gamers, non-gamers, and general readers alike. Equal parts enlightening, adventurous, and approachable, this appealing graphic nonfiction book is one that everyone can enjoy!

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0358616379
• ISBN13: 9780358616375
• Release Date: October 2024
• Publisher: Versify
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.97 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.1" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 13 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 8 to 12

Customer Reviews

This was not for me

For fans of Dungeons and Dragons, this is a stand alone graphic novel of the history of Table Top Role Playing Games. . Here's the thing, I'm quite interested in playing Dungeons and Dragons. I think it will be fun and a good way to try something new. But this graphic novel is not for me. It was fascinating to go through the history but it got so bland for me as I kept reading. The art reminds me of the classic sunday newspaper comics section that it gave nostalgia and it was perfect for the theme of D&D. However, it took me awhile to realize what the yellow and gray box speech bubble was, and there was even dialogue outside the box. The continuity was a bit all over the place for me... They navigate through the time using a Delorean which I thought was cute, but there were parts where they jump through time without it that left me confused. Personally, I think a graphic hovel wasn't the best media to elaborate all of this. What I do appreciate is the personal stories the authors/artists shared within the graphic novel. They were relatable and it was fun to learn how they started. Overall, story was alright, art was nostalgic, history was fascinating, but for me, it didn't blend as well together. * I received an eARC of this book